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<a name="Making-paragraphs" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="Making-paragraphs-1" class="anchor"></a>
<h2 class="chapter">Making paragraphs</h2>

<a name="index-making-paragraphs" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-paragraphs" class="anchor"></a>

<p>To start a paragraph, just type some text.  To end the current
paragraph, put an empty line.  This is three paragraphs, separated by
two empty lines.
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession
of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his
first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds
of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property
of some one or other of their daughters.

``My dear Mr. Bennet,'' said his lady to him one day,
``have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?''
</pre></div>

<p>The separator lines must be empty, including not containing a comment
character, <code>%</code>.
</p>
<p>Once LaTeX has gathered all of a paragraph&rsquo;s contents it divides that
content into lines in a way that is optimized over the entire paragraph
(see <a href="latex2e_9.html#Line-breaking">Line breaking</a>).
</p>
<p>There are places where a new paragraph is not permitted.  Don&rsquo;t put a
blank line in math mode (see <a href="latex2e_17.html#Modes">Modes</a>); here the line before the
<code>\end{equation}</code>
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\begin{equation}
  2^{|S|} &gt; |S|

\end{equation}
</pre></div>

<p>will get you the error &lsquo;<samp>Missing $ inserted</samp>&rsquo;.  Similarly, the blank
line in this <code>section</code> argument
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\section{aaa

bbb}
</pre></div>

<p>gets &lsquo;<samp>Runaway argument? {aaa ! Paragraph ended before \@sect was
complete</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>



<hr>
<a name="g_t_005cpar" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="g_t_005cpar-1" class="anchor"></a>
<h3 class="section"><code>\par</code></h3>

<a name="index-_005cpar" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-paragraph_002c-ending" class="anchor"></a>

<p>Synopsis (note that while reading the input TeX converts two
consecutive newlines to a <code>\par</code>):
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\par
</pre></div>

<p>End the current paragraph.  The usual way to separate paragraphs is with
a blank line but the <code>\par</code> command is entirely equivalent.  This
command is robust (see <a href="latex2e_12.html#g_t_005cprotect">\protect</a>).
</p>
<p>This example uses <code>\par</code> rather than a blank line simply for
readability.
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\newcommand{\syllabusLegalese}{%
  \whatCheatingIs\par\whatHappensWhenICatchYou}
</pre></div>

<p>In LR mode or a vertical mode the <code>\par</code> command does nothing but
it terminates paragraph mode, switching LaTeX to vertical mode
(see <a href="latex2e_17.html#Modes">Modes</a>).
</p>
<p>You cannot use the <code>\par</code> command in a math mode.  You also cannot
use it in the argument of many commands, such as the <code>\section</code>
command (see <a href="#Making-paragraphs">Making paragraphs</a> and <a href="latex2e_12.html#g_t_005cnewcommand-_0026-_005crenewcommand">\newcommand &amp; \renewcommand</a>).
</p>
<p>The <code>\par</code> command is not the same as the <code>\paragraph</code>
command. The latter is, like <code>\section</code> or <code>\subsection</code>, a
sectioning unit used by the standard LaTeX documents
(see <a href="latex2e_6.html#g_t_005csubsubsection-_0026-_005cparagraph-_0026-_005csubparagraph">\subsubsection &amp; \paragraph &amp; \subparagraph</a>).
</p>
<p>The <code>\par</code> command is not the same as <code>\newline</code> or the line
break double backslash, <code>\\</code>.  The difference is that <code>\par</code>
ends the paragraph, not just the line, and also triggers the addition of
the between-paragraph vertical space <code>\parskip</code> (see <a href="#g_t_005cparindent-_0026-_005cparskip">\parindent &amp; \parskip</a>).
</p>
<p>The output from this example
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">xyz

\setlength{\parindent}{3in}
\setlength{\parskip}{5in}
\noindent test\indent test1\par test2 
</pre></div>

<p>is: after &lsquo;<samp>xyz</samp>&rsquo; there is a vertical skip of 5&nbsp;inches and then
&lsquo;<samp>test</samp>&rsquo; appears, aligned with the left margin.  On the same line,
there is an empty horizontal space of 3&nbsp;inches and then
&lsquo;<samp>test1</samp>&rsquo; appears.  Finally. there is a vertical space of
5&nbsp;inches, followed by a fresh paragraph with a paragraph indent of
3&nbsp;inches, and then LaTeX puts the text &lsquo;<samp>test2</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>

<hr>
<a name="g_t_005cindent-_0026-_005cnoindent" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="g_t_005cindent-_0026-_005cnoindent-1" class="anchor"></a>
<h3 class="section"><code>\indent</code> &amp; <code>\noindent</code></h3>

<a name="index-_005cindent" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-_005cnoindent" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-_005cparindent-1" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-indent_002c-forcing" class="anchor"></a>

<p>Synopsis:
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\indent
</pre></div>

<p>or
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\noindent
</pre></div>

<p>Go into horizontal mode (see <a href="latex2e_17.html#Modes">Modes</a>).  The <code>\indent</code> command
first outputs an empty box whose width is <code>\parindent</code>.  These
commands are robust (see <a href="latex2e_12.html#g_t_005cprotect">\protect</a>).
</p>
<p>Ordinarily you create a new paragraph by putting in a blank line.
See <a href="#g_t_005cpar">\par</a> for the difference between this command and <code>\par</code>.  To
start a paragraph without an indent, or to continue an interrupted
paragraph, use <code>\noindent</code>.
</p>
<p>In the middle of a paragraph the <code>\noindent</code> command has no effect,
because LaTeX is already in horizontal mode there.  The
<code>\indent</code> command&rsquo;s only effect is to output a space.
</p>
<p>This example starts a fresh paragraph.
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">... end of the prior paragraph.

\noindent This paragraph is not indented.
</pre></div>

<p>and this continues an interrupted paragraph.
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">The data 

\begin{center}
  \begin{tabular}{rl} ... \end{tabular}
\end{center}

\noindent shows this clearly.
</pre></div>

<p>To omit indentation in the entire document put
<code>\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}</code> in the preamble.  If you do that,
you may want to also set the length of spaces between paragraphs,
<code>\parskip</code> (see <a href="#g_t_005cparindent-_0026-_005cparskip">\parindent &amp; \parskip</a>).
</p>
<a name="index-package_002c-indentfirst-5" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-indentfirst-package-5" class="anchor"></a>

<p>Default LaTeX styles have the first paragraph after a section that is
not indented, as is traditional typesetting in English.  To change that,
look on CTAN for the package <code>indentfirst</code>.
</p>

<hr>
<a name="g_t_005cparindent-_0026-_005cparskip" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="g_t_005cparindent-_0026-_005cparskip-1" class="anchor"></a>
<h3 class="section"><code>\parindent</code> &amp; <code>\parskip</code></h3>

<a name="index-_005cparindent-2" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-_005cparskip" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-paragraph-indentation" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-vertical-space-before-paragraphs" class="anchor"></a>

<p>Synopsis:
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\setlength{\parskip}{<var>horizontal len</var>}
\setlength{\parinden}{<var>vertical len</var>}
</pre></div>

<p>Both are a rubber lengths (see <a href="latex2e_14.html#Lengths">Lengths</a>).  They give the indentation
of ordinary paragraphs, not paragraphs inside minipages
(see <a href="latex2e_8.html#minipage">minipage</a>), and the vertical space between paragraphs.
</p>
<p>This, put in the preamble,
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\setlength{\parindent}{0em}
\setlength{\parskip}{1ex}
</pre></div>

<p>arranges that the document will have paragraphs that are not indented,
but instead are vertically separated by about the height of a lowercase
&lsquo;<samp>x</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>
<p>In standard LaTeX documents, the default value for <code>\parindent</code>
in one-column documents is <code>15pt</code> when the default text size is
<code>10pt</code> , <code>17pt</code> for <code>11pt</code>, and <code>1.5em</code> for
<code>12pt</code>.  In two-column documents it is <code>1em</code>.  The default
value for <code>\parskip</code> in LaTeX&rsquo;s standard document styles is
<code>0pt plus1pt</code>.
</p>

<hr>
<a name="Marginal-notes" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="Marginal-notes-1" class="anchor"></a>
<h3 class="section">Marginal notes</h3>

<a name="index-marginal-notes" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-notes-in-the-margin" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-remarks-in-the-margin" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-_005cmarginpar" class="anchor"></a>

<p>Synopsis, one of:
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">\marginpar{<var>right</var>}
\marginpar[<var>left</var>]{<var>right</var>}
</pre></div>

<p>Create a note in the margin.  The first line of the note will have the
same baseline as the line in the text where the <code>\marginpar</code>
occurs.
</p>
<p>The margin that LaTeX uses for the note depends on the current layout
(see <a href="latex2e_3.html#Document-class-options">Document class options</a>) and also on <code>\reversemarginpar</code>
(see below).  If you are using one-sided layout (document option
<code>oneside</code>) then it goes in the right margin.  If you are using
two-sided layout (document option <code>twoside</code>) then it goes in the
outside margin.  If you are in two-column layout (document option
<code>twocolumn</code>) then it goes in the nearest margin.
</p>
<a name="index-_005creversemarginpar" class="anchor"></a>
<a name="index-_005cnormalmarginpar" class="anchor"></a>
<p>If you declare <code>\reversemarginpar</code> then LaTeX will place
subsequent marginal notes in the opposite margin to that given in the
prior paragraph.  Revert that to the default position with
<code>\normalmarginpar</code>.
</p>
<p>When you specify the optional argument <var>left</var> then it is used for
a note in the left margin, while the mandatory argument <var>right</var> is
used for a note in the right margin.
</p>
<p>Normally, a note&rsquo;s first word will not be hyphenated.  You can enable
hyphenation there by beginning <var>left</var> or <var>right</var> with
<code>\hspace{0pt}</code>.
</p>
<p>These parameters affect the formatting of the note:
</p>
<dl compact="compact">
<dt><code>\marginparpush</code>
<a name="index-_005cmarginparpush-2" class="anchor"></a>
</dt>
<dd><a name="marginal-notes-marginparpush" class="anchor"></a><p>Minimum vertical space between notes; default &lsquo;<samp>7pt</samp>&rsquo; for
&lsquo;<samp>12pt</samp>&rsquo; documents, &lsquo;<samp>5pt</samp>&rsquo; else.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>\marginparsep</code>
<a name="index-_005cmarginparsep" class="anchor"></a>
</dt>
<dd><a name="marginal-notes-marginparsep" class="anchor"></a><p>Horizontal space between the main text and the note; default
&lsquo;<samp>11pt</samp>&rsquo; for &lsquo;<samp>10pt</samp>&rsquo; documents, &lsquo;<samp>10pt</samp>&rsquo; else.
</p>
</dd>
<dt><code>\marginparwidth</code>
<a name="index-_005cmarginparwidth-2" class="anchor"></a>
</dt>
<dd><a name="marginal-notes-marginparwidth" class="anchor"></a><p>Width of the note itself; default for a one-sided &lsquo;<samp>10pt</samp>&rsquo; document
is &lsquo;<samp>90pt</samp>&rsquo;, &lsquo;<samp>83pt</samp>&rsquo; for &lsquo;<samp>11pt</samp>&rsquo;, and &lsquo;<samp>68pt</samp>&rsquo; for
&lsquo;<samp>12pt</samp>&rsquo;; &lsquo;<samp>17pt</samp>&rsquo; more in each case for a two-sided document.
In two column mode, the default is &lsquo;<samp>48pt</samp>&rsquo;.
</p>
</dd>
</dl>

<p>The standard LaTeX routine for marginal notes does not prevent
notes from falling off the bottom of the page.
</p>




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